民意、民粹主义与公共案件——以“许霆案”“药家鑫案”为代表的分析

Public Will, Populism and Highly Publicized Cases: On the Analysis of Representative Cases of “Xu Ting” and “Yao Jiaxin”

公共案件是司法与公共舆论连接、混合、交织的产物。公共案件中的公共舆论到底是一种民意表达还是民粹主义,学界尚存有争论。通过对"许霆案""药家鑫"案为代表的公共案件中公共舆论的分析,我们发现它们实际上是一种民粹主义表达,而不是民意。公共案件中的民粹主义,并不当然是完全负面价值的,它是一个中性的概念,包含着积极作用与消极影响两个方面。首先,它是公共案件得以兴起的重要因素;其次,它表达了平民、民众对实质公正的诉求;再次,它是平民情绪狂欢的出口。最后,在公共案件的裁判中,法官必须对民粹主义予以考量,但这种考量应当以合理、适当的方式进行,否则,法律、司法的理性力量将会遭到破坏。

Highly publicized cases are the combination of judicature and public opinion. There is no final conclusion of weather the public opinion in highly publicized cases is the expression of public will or one kind of populism. By the analysis of public opinion in “Xu Ting case” and ＂Yao Jiaxin case＂, we find it is not the public will but populism. The populism in highly publicized cases, of course, is not entirely negative. It is a neutral concept, which contains both positive and negative effects. At first, the populism is an important factor in the rise of highly publicized cases. Secondly, it expresses the appeal of substantial justice holding by civilians and people. Thirdly, it is the way-out of civilian carnival mood. At last, in the verdicts of highly publicized cases, populism must be considered in a reasonable and appropriate way, otherwise, the rationality of law and judicature will be damaged.